Thoughts on the Reformed faith, preparation for ministry, and doing all to the glory of God.

The Tulip Driven Life Podcast

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

God’s Grace in Reality

By: Nathan Fox

Text: Colossians 1:13-14

My Personal Life of Grace

I must start off by confessing that though it seems that I have my entire life in order and that my days are “peachy,” I am nothing more than a sinner saved by grace. As a matter of fact, those who read this blog and read all the good stuff these contributors provide should realize this: each blogger is sinful and only through God’s grace are we even given the platform to proclaim His name. Before any one of us is magnified, and before anyone reading this blog thinks that we bloggers are just perfect, we must all remind ourselves that God’s grace is the only reason why we can proclaim what we proclaim. He is the source of hope in our life, and the certainly the only good from this life stems from his incomparable love for each of us. So before you take the time to read this blog even further, remember this: I only write what I write because it is God who is good, and not myself.

God’s Living Grace

Having said all that, let us now turn to the topic and verses at hand: Colossians 1:13-14. I purposely set these aside because in them I think we get such an accurate depiction of how good God really is and how dark we really are. Let’s look at the verses and then break them down. They say this: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Before we go further we must take note that these two verses are the entire crux of the Christian faith. These two verses answer all the major questions that anyone of us could have about the Bible and about Christianity. Don’t believe me? Take a look:

Who?- Humanity, broken and living in the power of darkness with no conceivable way of reaching light without some sort of divine intervention. In steps God through His Son Jesus, creator of the universe (look at the next few verses if you don’t believe me), and the only one who can save humanity from themselves.

What?- Redemption. God has stepped in to save us from our wickedness so that we can be redeemed through His blood. Redemption in the purest sense of the word means “deliverance,” showing us that God has delivered us from something, namely our wicked ways.

When?- Roughly 2,000 years ago on a cross and at an empty tomb. It is through Christ’s death, burial, and certainly His resurrection that we hang our hats on. These two verses mention His blood, setting us up to believe (and rightfully so) that through the shedding of blood there is remission for sins. It was His crucifixion 2,000 years ago that made this reality come alive for us today.

Where?- In our hearts. It is through His regeneration of our hearts and our consequential belief as a result that we have obtained the redemption offered only through Jesus Christ.

Why?- Perhaps my favorite question to answer. God did all of this for this reason: He simply loves us. Look at the wording of the two verses again. He delivered us, conveyed us into the kingdom, redeemed us, and forgave us. Why would God do all of this other than the fact that He loves us? Oh what a glorious day when we take the time remember why He did all of this.

Our Reaction to this Grace

Perhaps if you have read this blog for a time you have seen the Gospel presented in some way, shape, or form. That is good, but it can be easily looked over if we are not careful. I challenge all of us, Christians and non-Christians alike, to let the Gospel change us. Even as a believer who has heard the Gospel more times than I can remember, I should still live a life of reflection toward it. Its authenticity and relevance in my life should be evident in how I portray Christ through my words and actions.

Oh how I need this Gospel everyday! I am such a sinner, such a dark person. But thank God, who is so rich in grace and mercy, that He would love me enough to die for me. What a life I have now only because of Him! No longer do I live in the defeat of the endless cycle of my sin, but now I stand victorious because of His redemptive work in me. May He get the glory through His amazing Gospel, and may I and all of us never cease to remember how much He has done for us. The Gospel is alive, and it truly changes us to the core of our being. I challenge each of us to live in light of this fact.